THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, April 11, 1996 TAG: 9604110012
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A12 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Medium: 53 lines
Rebecca Roberts' ``Say no to pretrial-release program'' (letter, March 27) contained many errors.
The primary goal of the Norfolk Sheriff's Office Pretrial Services Program is to reduce jail overcrowding while maintaining public safety. This program provides the magistrate and courts crucial background information to enable them to make informed release and supervision decisions. Pretrial Services protects public safety by providing intensive supervision, electronic monitoring, alcohol and drug testing and treatment and psychological treatment to defendants approved for release and awaiting trial. It also and ensures that they appear on the court date.
Ms. Roberts' premise that releasing defendants to bail bondsmen without any supervision or background investigations is safer and cheaper for taxpayers is faulty. Her statement that the pretrial-release program releases violent offenders is erroneous. The Pretrial Services Program is not empowered to release any offenders. The local community corrections board and state guidelines bar placement of defendants awaiting court for violent offenses in the program.
Ms. Roberts claims that defendants have but to telephone pretrial personnel once a week. The minimum number of contacts for defendants in Norfolk is one face-to-face contact, one urine screen and one telephone contact per week. A home visit and employment verification must be made by surveillance officers within the first week of a defendant's participation in the program. Magistrates and judges usually request additional weekly contacts. Failure to comply with these conditions of release returns the offender to jail. In February, the Norfolk pretrial program had 172 defendants on supervision; only six were removed for violations.
Ms. Roberts' claims also that pretrial programs are a financial burden to taxpayers and a failure. Not so. In the first two months of 1996, the pretrial program in Norfolk had 15,070 days of supervision for nonviolent offenders. At a conservative jail-cost estimate of $30 per day, the program saved taxpayers $452,100 in the first two months of 1996. We estimate savings to taxpayers of $2,260,500 in 1996.
Our surveillance officers picked up all offenders who missed court for the month. The 4 percent violation rate for February shows that our program is a success and should be recognized as such.
MICHAEL P. O'TOOLE
Director of treatment
Sheriff's Office
Norfolk, March 27, 1996 by CNB